The present invention relates to a cargo bay cover (tonneau) for a pickup truck, and more particularly to a cover including one or more rigid panels which may be folded and unfolded to uncover and recover the cargo bay.
Tonneau covers are well known for covering and protecting the cargo bay of a conventional pickup truck. These covers are useful for various types of cargo. One such cover, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,527,330 to Steffens et al., includes a plurality of low-silhouette panels which are relatively lightweight and can be quickly and easily folded, one upon the other, accordion style, to gain access to or to expose the cargo bay, and unfolded quickly and easily to cover the cargo bay. The panels are configured so that the “first” panel farthest from the cab folds back on top of the panel adjacent to it. The second and third panels fold together such that their under surfaces contact each other, and the third panel folds back on top of the fourth panel, which is closest to the cab of the truck. Alternatively, the fourth panel may be opened and folded against the third panel to provide access to the portion of the cargo bay that is immediately adjacent to the truck cab.
In this arrangement, the first panel and the fourth panel (i.e. those panels farthest from and closest to the cab each include a combined lock and release mechanism that prevents the panel from being opened until a key is inserted and rotated by the user. A pair of throw rods are directly connected between the lock and a pair of latches, such that rotation of a key in the lock moves the throw rods and latches to a released position, in which the panel can be opened.
As good as this tonneau cover is, there continues to be room for improvement. First, the combined lock and release mechanism is complicated, with multiple moving parts that can only be actuated by the rotation of a key. The mechanism requires two hands for operation, which could be further complicated if the user is wearing gloves. Further, the rods on the underside of the cover reduce the usable height of the cargo bay. Second, the second and third panels can “balloon” or raise off the cargo bed when the truck is operated at highway speeds. Such ballooning can decrease the effectiveness of weather seals. Finally, it can be difficult to mount the keepers to the truck bed in a simple, yet secure fashion.